When we first wrote about the Aeroscraft ML866 in October it was still being built, but the airship has finished testing and is preparing for its first flight.

Built by Worldwide Aeros Corp. in California, the lighter than air vehicle uses technology developed by DARPA in 2005. That feasibility project was called Walrus HULA and spurred awards to both Lockheed Martin and Aeros for initial development.

The company is betting on its success: Aeros CEO Igor Pasternak says, “This is truly the beginning of a vertical global transportation solution for perhaps the next 100 years.”